Channel Maven TV (#CMCtv) is a series of short informative videos on topics ranging from sales and marketing tips and tricks, to event and project management, as well as Channel specific news. In episode 19, Carson Mulligan joins Heather K. Margolis, Channel Maven CEO, for a deep dive into website assessments; why they are important, how they can improve demand and lead generation, and what you need to know.

Why Website Assessments are Important

Everyday marketers consistently remind us just how much buyers engage with our content. When it comes to putting us on the shortlist, you’d be amazed at how critical all the little details are. It’s not a matter of IF clients and prospects will search for our solutions, rather it’s WHEN. Before they even speak with us, their vetting process (aka “buyer’s journey”) begins with… yep… a click through to a website, over 90% of the time.

What to Look for

We all know a stellar website when we see one - right? Something that resonates. Maybe it’s the colors, the voice, the style or most importantly the navigation. The easier it is to find the information you need coupled with relevance of that information, the longer you will stay.

When it comes to company pages, the more intentional you are about how your visitors navigate your site, the better. Everything from layout, look, and feel, including logos, font type and size impact the experience of your audience. In other words you only have one chance to make a first impression and that chance has a shorter life than a Snapchat post, so you must make an instant impact if you want your website to capture leads.

What Every Website Needs

Here are four primary components we analyze in every website assessment we do:

Branding - consider your prospect/client’s point of view and ask yourself these questions:

What is your first impression?

Is the content put together well and easy to navigate?

Is the website visually aesthetic?

Content - look critically at your content and web copy. Are appropriate and relevant keywords being used to ensure your brand is served in search engine results? Are you using imagery that conveys the personality of your business? Are you delivering messaging from a problem solving point of view?

Quick SEO tip: Long-tail keywords help with search engine rankings. For example, instead of “business intelligence” try “business intelligence solutions in Sarasota.” Using more specific and/or local keywords will help to organically boost your rank.

Messaging - organizations often create great content for their audience, especially Vendors working to enable their Channel Partners. Unfortunately, when assessing content, we typically find it’s not being delivered strategically.

Lead Generation - first, there’s no need to gate an excessive amount of content, but when you do, don’t ask for too much information on your form. As a user yourself, you know… the more boxes you have to fill in, the less likely you’ll do it. Just like you, users will abandon if your call-to-action takes too much time and effort. Name, email address, company name, and job title are easy enough and a great first step towards building lists and generating leads.

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Thanks for watching our latest episode of #CMCtv! As you can imagine, we’re just scratching the surface, so if you’re interested in learning more contact us. We’d love to chat with you on how you can drive more sales through improved user experiences!